WARRIORS: Deep in the Forest: Book 1
by Ricky the King
Summary: When his Clan starts to become corrupt, a tom-cat named Deepfang gets a message from StarClan, telling him he must create his own Clan. Convinced by his ancestors, Deepfang gathers his closest friends and sets off to create his own Clan. Along the way, he must face fighting within his ranks, rogues, and a startling prophecy from StarClan about a black tom who will replace him.
1. Allegiances

**NIGHTCLAN (The Main Clan)  
Leader: **Kestrelstar: dark grey classic tabby tom-cat with green eyes and huge white paws  
 **Deputy:** Eaglecry: pale silver mackerel tabby tom-cat with blue eyes  
 **APPRENTICE:** Beepaw  
 **Medicine Cat:** Wolffoot: dark grey she-cat with a white chest and paws and amber eyes  
 **APPRENTICE:** Fishpaw: silver mackerel tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes  
 **Warriors**  
Ratblaze: russet colored tom-cat with amber eyes  
Tinydusk: black and white she-cat with big green eyes  
 **APPRENTICE:** Leopardpaw  
Deepfang: blue-grey tom-cat with a white tail tip and pale blue eyes  
Littlestep: pure black tom-cat with deep blue eyes  
Yarrowwhisker: brown mackerel tabby tom-cat with dark green eyes  
Twistedface: ginger she-cat with white paws and green eyes and a permanently broken jaw  
 **APPRENTICE:** Blackpaw  
Beaverjaw: brown classic tabby tom-cat with white paws and pale green eyes  
Ashenrock: pale grey she-cat with a white belly and bright blue eyes  
Brookheart: tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws and amber eyes  
 **Apprentices**  
Beepaw: golden brown classic tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Leopardpaw: golden spotted tabby she-cat with amber eyes  
Blackpaw: pure black tom with amber-green eyes  
 **Queens**  
Leaftail: silver mackerel tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes, mother of Dustkit (brown classic tabby tom-kit with blue eyes) and Mintkit (silver mackerel tabby she-kit with green eyes)  
Spottedtooth: tortoiseshell mackerel tabby she-cat with amber eyes  
 **Elders**  
Heatherear: light cinnamon-colored she-cat with blind blue eyes  
Browntail: brown classic tabby tom with amber-green eyes

 **Relations**  
Beaverjaw and Tinydusk are the parents of Beepaw and Leopardpaw  
Littlestep and Blackpaw are siblings  
Kestrelstar is the father of Blackpaw, his mother is deceased  
Ratblaze is the father of Leaftail's kits  
Eaglecry is the father of Spottedtooth's kits  
Eaglecry and Spottedtooth are the parents of Fishpaw  
Heatherear is the mother of Ratblaze, Twistedface, and Brookheart  
Browntail is the father of Spottedtooth and Yarrowwhisker

 **Other Clans  
**  
 **SUNCLAN**  
 **Leader:** Lakestar: black and white tom-cat with green eyes  
 **Deputy:** Whitedawn: pure white she-cat with amber eyes  
 **Medicine Cat:** Hazeltalon: brown classic tabby she-cat with green eyes  
 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:** Buzzardpaw: brown and white tom-cat with green eyes

 **DAWNCLAN  
Leader: **Flystar: golden brown classic tabby she-cat with amber-brown eyes  
 **Deputy:** Flowerglow: pale ginger and white mackerel tabby she-cat with green eyes  
 **Medicine Cat:** Shortleaf: brown classic tabby tom-cat with amber-green eyes  
 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:** Batpaw: pure black tom-cat with large amber eyes

 **DUSKCLAN  
Leader: **Shadestar: black smoke tom-cat with green eyes  
 **Deputy:** Speckleclaw: tortoiseshell mackerel tabby she-cat with amber-green eyes  
 **Medicine Cat:** Dapplebranch: tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws and amber eyes  
 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:** Shredpaw: brown pointed tom-cat with blue eyes


	2. Prologue

Deepfang was dreaming - he had to be. There was no other believable reason for him to be floating in a silver sea, endless from one horizon to the next. His deep blue eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to clear his senses, which felt like they were being smothered by a thick blanket of leaves. Deepfang tried to move his limbs, but found them unresponsive as he continued to float, alone in this endless expanse of nothingness.

"Where... am I?" Surprisingly, his jaws still worked, and he managed to croak out the words just as something appeared before him. It was the starry outside of a cat, whose form and figure shimmered slowly into importance, morphing into the sleek body of a young-looking queen, her face and shoulder scarred from an unknown enemy.

Deepfang quickly recognized the she-cat standing before him. Their pelts were, in fact, so close in color that they could have been matching, and that made his discovery less surprising. "Mother!" He called out. Now, finally, his body responded to what he was telling it to do, and he forced himself up onto his paws, rushing forward to meet the she-cat. As he did, a scene began to form around him; green grass grew beneath his paws, and large oak and pine trees sprang up from the ground. The land around him morphed into a deep forest, which was unfamiliar to him.

Even so, Deepfang did not recognize the changes as he rushed forward to meet the she-cat he knew as mother. Her name was Rainnight, and she had died before he was made an apprentice, losing her life in a fight with a fox. She had been a brave, strong Warrior, and Deepfang remembered her as nothing less. He rested his chin on her shoulder, purring lightly as she leaned down to lick the back of his neck.

"Hello, my darling son," she purred, tail slowly flicking back and forth as Deepfang pulled back from her. "It has been so long, much too long. I dearly wish I could have had the pleasure of watching you grow into the strong Warrior you are now."

"Mother..." Deepfang echoed, resisting the urge to nuzzle her once more. He missed his mother so badly, even though he had barely gotten to know her before she passed. "I've missed you, too. Why have you come to visit me?" The question had been on his mind ever since the starry she-cat arrived, and now she sighed, something obviously weighing heavy on her mind.

"I am afraid that I do not bring good news," she meowed. "So much has changed in NightClan since I died. I hoped I would never have to see the day when Kestrelstar became leader, but the time has unfortunately come."

"What do you mean? Kestrelstar's been a great leader to us, he even led us out when the camp flooded a few moons back," Deepfang asked curiously, tilting his head.

"Kestrelstar may appear to have good intentions, but within him is a black heart," Rainnight replied, her voice taut with worry and distrust. "We StarClan cats know more about most cats than they know about themselves. It is an advantage to being dead." They both shared a chuckle there for a moment, before both became serious. "Listen. Kestrelstar is planning to take over all four of the Clans. Being leader has given him a taste of power, and he wants more of it. He will not stop until he reaches his goal. That is why you, Deepfang, must leave NightClan, and create your own Clan."

"My - my own Clan?" Deepfang stepped back in shock, his tail and spine rigid. "Mother - you can't be serious! How am I, a cat with no experience in leading, to lead my own Clan?"

"The first leaders of the Clans did not know how to lead, either," Rainnight meowed simply. "But you must do it, my son. StarClan will continue to watch over you, no matter what. You must leave NightClan with only your most trusted of friends, travel past the open grasslands, and find the Twisted Ash. There, you will find this place." She motioned to the environment around her, and only now did Deepfang step back to take it all in. "You will know it when you arrive, I assure you. Leave within three nights of my message."

Rainnight leaned forward, giving Deepfang one last lick on the cheek before stepping back. "Goodbye, my son. Remember what I have told you."

"But - wait, mother!" Deepfang called out, rushing forward in an attempt to stop his mother. But the she-cat was already fading, and by the time he reached her, she was gone. The forest rapidly began to fade around him, and he was left again, floating paralyzed in a sea of silver until he woke.


End file.
